Wings of Destiny: Book One: Arising Shadows
by Eradrin
Summary: Eradrin is a young elleth who grew up in Rivendell. But after Elrond reveals to her he isn't her father, things begin to get messy. Maybe it was a mistake to join a group of dwarves trying to reclaim a kingdom? And punching the Prince of Mirkwood wasn't exactly the best way to meet him... Seriously, why does Azog have to be so annoying? Summary is in progress. Romance is later on.
1. Prologue and Chapter One

**(Okay, so basically this is a rewrite of my old story "Wings of Destiny." There will be five books in this series. This takes place during the Hobbit.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings (I wish) but I do own the plot/storyline, and the characters Eradrin, Aralin, Alluean, and Liliana. Silwyn is my friend Silwyn Galathi's OC.**

**(A/N And I kept the prologue the same as my old story, because I like the prologue... Some of the chapters will be the same as the old, but most will be different. Sorry I couldn't get a quote in this chapter.****)**

**Chapter 1: The Prologue**

Bloodcurdling shrieks echoed in the still night. Bright red blood stained the green leaves of the bushes and trees. Sounds of battle scared away almost every living thing in the area. Down by the river was where the fighting was thickest.

Dozens of orcs and elves crashed upon each other, hate flashing in either sides' eyes. The elves slew many orcs, but still the evil side was stronger. Dozens kept coming by the minute, crashing through the undergrowth on the riverside. The number of elves was dwindling by the second, and the number of orcs was growing.

Suddenly, three elves on horseback clothed in white broke through the shadows of the trees and galloped towards the fray. The leader, a dark haired elf, signaled to his companions to go help the battle-worn elves around the outside of the attack. He rode towards the center of the fight, blood spraying the side of his robe.

Finally he stopped by a blonde haired elf, whose eyes shone fiercely with the light of the battle. He turned around at the sound of hooves, hoping it was nothing evil, and relaxed slightly when he saw the dark haired elf. "Mellon, what has happened here?" Asked the horseback elf.

The blonde elf flinched as an arrow whizzed next to his head. "Thank goodness it's you, Elrond, and not one of those orcs. We were traveling to Rivendell, so we sent a messenger to ride ahead. After a day of traveling, we came across his body with his head cut off. The Orcs jumped out at us, and you can guess the rest from here." His hand swept over the battle scene.

"Celeborn, is there any way I may help?" Elrond asked. Celeborn's eyes shone with relief and gratitude. "Take this" he revealed a small bundle from under a nearby bush. "I hid this when the first Orc jumped out. Take this back to Rivendell and take care of it! The orcs were after it in the first place. They cannot know where it is."

Elrond took it from him gently. "I will send reinforcements on the way."

He turned around and rode off, leaving the horrifying scene behind him. Not till he was halfway to Rivendell that he looked inside the bundle, and his expression turned to one of utter shock.

**Yeah, I know it's short, but it will get longer, I promise. And the prologue is iffy... just keep reading, it gets better ;)**


	2. Chapter 2: Introductions

**(A/N The prologue doesn't have a chapter name or quote because I'm too lazy to put one up.)**

**I'm going to do character descriptions for a few OCs:**

**Name: **Eradrin  
**Race: **Elf  
**Age: **Eighty-seven at the beginning of my story  
**Personality: **At the beginning of the story, she is pretty nice, feisty, sarcastic, loyal, brave, won't wait to help out, outgoing, funny. It is hard to earn her friendship, but once you do there is nothing she won't do for you  
**Description: **Long, semi-wavy honey-blonde hair, pale ivory skin, sharp, piercing silver-blue eyes, pretty, tall, etc.  
**Family: **Raised by Elrond, you'll find put more soon  
**Extras: **She has one fear: losing everyone she loves. She loves to sing, but hates to do so in front of others. You might find out about that later... She hates it when others lie.

**(Again, I'm too lazy to put more OC's up. I probably will in a later chapter.)**

**Point of views you will most likely get**

**Eradrin**

**Bilbo**

**One of the dwarves, most likely Thorin**

**Occasionally Legolas**

**Occasionally Elrond**

**Chapter 2: Introductions**

_"Let's start at the very beginning; a very good place to start."  
_**-Julie Andrews**

**POV: Eradrin**

**oOoOoOo**

The elleth closed her eyes and breathed in the crisp morning air. Wind whispered beneath the tree tops, tossing her long honey-colored locks over her shoulders. She snapped her eyelids open, revealing crystal blue eyes that darted side to side underneath long, black lashes. Her pinkish lips formed a mischievous grin, white teeth flashing next to the ivory of her skin.

A fern bush behind her crackled; and she turned around, eyes narrowed. "Elladan, Elrohir, I know you are in there. Come out."

Reluctantly, they stormed out of the over-grown bush, dropping a thin rope behind them. "Up to your pranks, again?" She asked slowly.

Elrohir nodded sheepishly, eyes on the ground. "I told you to stop kicking the bush!" Elladan muttered. His brother glared at him, but said nothing. The elleth paced towards the bush and picked up the rope.

"What would happen if I pulled this, I wonder?" Her eyes flitted up the rope to a basket perched high in the treetops.

Elrohir snapped his head up. "Eradrin, don't-" It was too late. She yanked the rope downwards, smirking, and watched as the basket tipped over, revealing dead fish inside. The fish slid out, falling directly onto the twin's heads.

Elladan stood still, eyeing the fallen scales that scattered over his arms. "Did you really have to do that?" He complained, and wiped his hand across his tunic. Eradrin giggled, watching as his attempts to clean up failed and caused him to become even more dirty.

"Did _you _have to _plan_ that? It was a prank for me to foil!" She answered, poking out her bottom lip. "Who was that meant for, anyway?"

Elrohir turned berry-red. "We wanted to snag Glorfindel in our trap... then you came along, so we thought-"

"-You thought you could snare me." Eradrin interrupted, eyes gleaming. Elrohir nodded and looked away. "And it did not work."

Elladan snorted. "Our prank is wasted." He glanced regretfully at the remains of the fish.

Eradrin wrinkled her nose. "You can build it again later. For now, let us go to _Ada _and get you two cleaned up." She suggested. "You smell awful." Elladan and Elrohir agreed, and the trio marched out of the greenery.

* * *

"What did you do?!" Elrond shook his head, exasperated. Elladan opened his mouth to answer, eyes glaring accusingly at Eradrin, but she beat him to it.

"They decided to pull a prank on me, but it back-fired."

Elrond rested his head in his hands. "Go ask someone to help you clean up." Elrohir obediently walked out of the room, while Elladan shot a resentful glare at Eradrin before he left. Eradrin was about to leave when Elrond slowly said, "Get ready for supper."

Eradrin sighed. "Yes, _Ada._" She left the room and reluctantly stepped into hers. _I wanted to write. It will have to wait for later, _she thought. She stuck her parchment and quill under her silvery bed. No one knew of her secret hobby. Unwilling to show anyone her works, she would hide her stories under her bed at night.

Quickly she changed from her tunic and leggings into a dark blue gown and slippers, and dashed out into the hall. She pushed open the doors to the lavish dining room and cried out, "I'm here-" Only to stop short as all the elves seated at the table looked at her. Embarrassment seethed beneath her skin, and she felt her cheeks flush. She kept her gaze fixed on the ground and rushed to her seat, aware of the many eyes watching her.

"That seemed humiliating." A voice whispered in her ear as she sat down. Eradrin turned and caught sight of her dark-haired sister watching her sympathetically.

"It was more than humiliating, Alluean." Eradrin whispered back. Elrond was shaking his head again at the far end of the table as Elrohir and Elladan burst through the doors, falling on top of one another.

"Watch it!" Elladan grumbled, and pushed himself to his feet. The twins settled next to Eradrin and Alluean, still grumbling. Suddenly Elrohir's eyes lit up.

"Let's sneak out after supper!" He exclaimed softly.

Elladan nodded. "Great idea! Eradrin? Alluean? Do you want to come?"

Eradrin glanced around uncomfortably. "I'd love to, but..."

"But you want to ask Elrond first, I know." He finished.

She nodded. Elrohir jumped up from his chair. "I'll ask him!" He announced loudly, causing the elves to glance in their direction once more. Stares unnoticed, he walked up to Elrond and began speaking with him, using wild hand gestures and sweeping his hand in an arc to the door. Elrond nodded, and Elrohir came loping back to his seat. "He said yes!"

"Let's go!"

Eradrin wailed inwardly. _I haven't even finished eating! _Her siblings stood up from the table, allotting her no time to finish. She followed them out the door, saying,"Wait here." And rushed into her room, slipping back into her tunic, leggings, and boots. She grabbed her bow and arrow-filled quiver from a nail on the wooden door just in case, slipping a knife into her belt. As she stepped back into the hall and towards the group, they smirked at her outfit.

"Someone looks like they're going into battle." Elladan commented.

"You can never be too prepared." Eradrin snapped. Elladan shrugged and sped out the door.

Suddenly a tall, blond-haired elf approached them from the gardens outside. "Elrond sent me to accompany you." He said. The twins' shoulders sagged a little. _Glorfindel. _He also was carrying an array of weapons, causing Eradrin to cast a smug smile Elladan. He returned it with a glare. "Let's move."

* * *

Eradrin felt uneasy as she paced along the pebbly banks of a river. Her friends chatted loudly, unaware of anything out of place. Only Glorfindel seemed uncomfortable. He kept tossing glances back at the dark forest on the other side, eyebrows furrowed with worry. Eradrin moved up to stand beside him. "What's wrong?"

Glorfindel didn't make eye contact. "I don't know, it's just... not quite..." He trailed off, looking uncertain. He peered into the bushes once more, and abruptly halted. "Get back, all of you!" He hissed.

Alluean looked shocked. "What is it?!"

Glorfindel narrowed his eyes. "There are orcs on our border. Look."

The group turned as one and spotted a flickering of shadowy movement. Then another. And a third. "How many?" Alluean asked.

"Too many for my liking. We need to get reinforcements _now_." They began to dash away, only to whip around again as splashes echoed in the river. Eradrin shut her eyes, afraid of what she might see.

"_Tira ten' rashwe_!" Alluean cried. Eradrin dared to open her eyes to slits, only to have them fly wide open as the first orc came crashing through the undergrowth, hurtling straight for her...

**Elvish Translation: **

**Tira ten' rashwe: Look out!**

**The next chapter: A battle (fun) and other stuff.  
**


	3. Chapter 3: Ambush

**(A/N Thank you for reviewing!)**

**Chapter 3: Ambush**

_"You, you, and you ... Panic. The rest of you, come with me."_  
**\- U.S. Marine Corp Gunnery Sgt.**

**POV: Eradrin**

Eradrin raised her sword to meet it and sliced off its head, before stepping back and muttering, "Nice to meet you, too."

"Go get reinforcements!" Glorfindel snapped at Alluean.

"I want to fight! You'll need extra hands!"

"Which is exactly why I'm sending you off. Now go." Alluean shot him one glare before whipping around and sprinting over a rise in the ground.

Glorfindel signaled with his hand for everyone to cluster in a tight circle. "We'll be less vulnerable if we are in a group." He explained. Eradrin unsheathed her sword and shot a smirk at Elladan. _Who's unprepared now_! He rolled his eyes and held out his hand. Sensing the hand signal, she pulled a long knife from her boot and passed it over. Elrohir shot a nervous glance at the pair and reached behind his back and revealed a curved hand knife.

Suddenly the first orc crawled out of the water and hurtled straight at Eradrin. She ducked out of the way, narrowly missing the its sharp sword, and heard a shrill squeal behind her. She risked a glance behind her and found it lying dead on the ground.

"Eradrin, look up!" Glorfindel ordered. Eradrin whipped around, shock fluttering in her chest as dozen of orcs crashed out of the undergrowth on the other side of the river.

"Get ready to fight." The elves' gaze followed the orcs, determination hardening their gazes.

* * *

Eradrin crossed blades with one, disarming it, then stabbed it and looked around for another opponent, eyebrows furrowed with concentration. Battle tactics ran through her mind. _Jump, twist, slash, turn, swipe_. She quickly ran up a boulder and jumped on top of a nearby orc, slicing it in several places before she felt it slump over, dead. The group had broken up after one an orc had crashed into them, sending Eradrin flying.

The elleth backed away into the shadow of a tree, looking for her next target. She soon found it; a large orc stumbled up from behind an ivy-covered tree, blood dripping from its shoulder. It snarled as it saw her, menace gleaming in its eyes, and sprung.

* * *

The battle had been won. Alluean had arrived just in time, a dozen or so elves racing behind her. They had been growing weary from the fight, and were on the brink of giving up. The sight of help gave Eradrin an extra boost of energy, and she fought harder than before.

Soon the last orc had been driven off, and the group gathered together, blood dripping from occasional wounds.

"Evil has never come into the valley of Imladris!" Alluean exclaimed.

A younger elf named Morias rolled his eyes while sheathing his sword. "I think we all know that."

Glorfindel glared at him. "This is a serious matter!" Morias only heaved a deep sigh.

* * *

"_Aiya,_ what has happened?"

Eradrin sighed as her friend Aralin fussed over her, examining the long scratch on her arm.

Alluean answered for her. "A fight happened by the stream. Orcs attacked."

Aralin gasped, dramatically placing the back of her hand on her forehead. "Oh, no! At least they didn't come here."

Despite the pain in her arm, Eradrin had to bite back a smile. Aralin always knew how to cheer her up, making little jokes about their childhood. Their favorite one right now was a phrase, "Take a deep breath."

"Let's get you cleaned up! Then go to sleep. You're obviously worn out,"

Eradrin backed away as Aralin led Alluean down the hall. _I'll do that by myself, thank you. _She turned around and strolled down the hall, stepping into her room and quietly shut the door. Then she took a small water-filled bowl beside her bed and gently cleaned the cut, wincing as it passed over the sore part. Luckily it was not deep, but long and would take time to heal. She wrapped it in a bandage, then changed into a nightgown and plopped in bed.

She blew out the lamp from beside her bed, listening to the singing of crickets and the waterfalls rushing. Whispering a song that she had heard a long time ago, she began to fall asleep with stars above her head.

_Elen sila lumenn omentilmo_

_Tenna' ento lye omenta_

_Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle_

_Quel kaima_

She chuckled to herself just in between the waking-and-sleeping zone. She couldn't remember where she heard it, but it had always stayed with her.

**Next chapter: Eradrin and her friends go with Elrond and others to track the pack of orcs that attacked them, and they are in for a surprise. A dwarvish surprise. A strange company shows up: thirteen dwarves, a hobbit, and a wizard on a quest...**


	4. Chapter 4: Secrets and Lies

**(A/N: Thank you for the reviews! ****In this story, even though it is based on the movie, Tauriel does not exist. She's not canon.)**

**(A/N: Should I change the title to Memory?)**

**Chapter 4: Secrets and Lies**

_"There are two kinds of secrets. The ones we keep from others and the ones we keep from ourselves."  
_**-Frank Warren**

**POV: Eradrin**

**oOoOoOo**

She paused in front of the door, bottom lip trembling as she recalled the events just days before.

**oOoOoOo**

_Eradrin groaned as someone shook her awake. "Five more minutes."_

_"Get dressed. My room. Now."_

_She sighed as Elrond's footsteps faded out of her room. Sitting up and rubbing her face, she wondered, '_What did I do now_?'_

**oOoOoOo**

_Eradrin approached Elrond's door, about to knock when it swung open. Elrond glanced swiftly down the hall before motioning for her to come in._

_"_Ada_," she started, "I apologize for anything wrong I did. Like I would," she added under her breath._

_Elrond shut the door and began to pace. "You didn't."_

_She wiped her forehead in mock relief. "I'm glad."_

_"The wrongdoing is that of me," he continued as if she hadn't spoken._

_Eradrin rolled her eyes. "Since when has the great Lord Elrond ever messed up?"_

_He shot a glare in her direction. "Ilcaelmin," he muttered._

_"_Ada_, you just said you did," she pointed out._

"_Will you _please_ just _listen_?"_

_"I am."_

"_Eradrin..."_

_"_Ada_..."_

_"Stop!"_

_Eradrin started, then crossed her arms. "What, _Ada_?"_

_"I've deceived you."_

_"_Ada_, since when have you lied?"_

_"I'm serious."_

_Before she could speak, he cut her off._

_"I'm not your father."_

**oOoOoOo**

_Eradrin arched her eyebrows. "Is this your idea of a joke?"_

_He raised his head and looked directly in her eyes. "No."_

_"Who put you up to this?"_

_"I told you on my own accord."_

_She backed away. "No. No, you're lying!"_

_Elrond sighed. "Do you think I would say that just for fun?"_

_She averted her gaze. "No." A few moments of silence passed, and she whispered, "Are you really not my father?"_

_"I am not."_

_Another tense pause. "Are you upset with me?"_

_Eradrin lifted her head. "Upset? Upset, no."_

_Before Elrond had time to feel relieved, she continued. "How could I feel upset when I find out someone has been lying to me for eighty-seven years?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm at every word. "In fact, I'm perfectly fine."_

_He bit his lip. "Eradrin-"_

_"-What did you think, I'd be okay with it?! I'm downright enraged! For all of my life, it's been, 'Ada this, Ada that,' but no!" She pushed her way out of the room, fury sparking the air with each footstep. "Are you lying to your other children as well?"_

_"No."_

_"Oh, great! I'm the odd one out. Again. Look at that. Big shocker."_

_He grabbed her arm. "Calm down. Let's talk through this, and-"_

_"Get your filthy hands off of me!"_

_She wrenched herself out of his grasp and quickened her pace down the hall. "I don't want to hear what you have to say. You'll probably just convince me of something false again."_

_"Eradrin, please..." he pleaded as she shot out the front door._

_Without turning around, she shouted, "Auta miqula orqu, Elrond! I _don't_ care!"_

_He sighed as she disappeared. "Ai valar. What am I going to do?"_

**(A/N Stupid mistake of the chapter by Eradrin 1) Insulting Lord Elrond.)**

**oOoOoOo**

_Eradrin slid off her horse once she was well concealed by the trees. All the anger that was stored inside her boiled up, and she let out a furious scream and attacked the ground with her fists, dust flying up around them._

_"Stupid... no good... filthy... idiotic..." Her mutters were lost in the racket. Her horse snorted and whacked her in the face with his tail._

_"Tearcelen, really?" She sighed noisily and stood up. "He lied. Do you understand? Arg, I'm so stupid! How could I be so blind?"_

_Tearcelen rolled his eyes and nudged her. She caressed his mane. "Aw, who am I kidding? I'm not stupid. But Elrond is." The horse whinneyed exasperatedly as she pulled a hand knife out of the horse's saddle pouch and swung it around, muttering once again._

_Suddenly a sharp crackle sounded behind her. Eradrin whipped around and launched her knife instinctively at the noise._

**(A/N Stupid mistake of the chapter by Eradrin 2) Throwing a knife at a wizard.)**

_Eradrin gasped as she saw the gray hat pinned to a tree and the gray-bearded man trying to look up at his head._

_She mentally slapped herself. "Mithrandir! I am so, so sorry..." She ran to the tree, unpinning his hat and returning it to him._

_Gandalf shook himself and placed it on the top of his head. "That is quite alright, Eradrin." He dusted off his robe and followed her as she walked back to her horse. "I was in need of some excitement."_

_Eradrin tucked the knife back in the saddle and asked, "What brings you here?"_

_He looked up at the trees, switching his staff to his left hand. "I'm in Imladris on important business."_

_Eradrin attempted to look uninterested. "Like what?"_

_"Just helping out a friend. I'm looking for someone who might want to share in an adventure..."_

**oOoOoOo**

And now she was standing in front of the door to Bag End, studying the symbol Gandalf had left on the round, green door. "This is it," she murmured, remembering what he had told her about the quest. She had instantly agreed to go, wanting to get away from her... former home. That was what she would call it.

Although Gandalf had warned her about secrecy, dwarves, and the potential to have death-by-dragon, she had mounted her horse and ridden off.

Eradrin knocked on the door, feeling quite tall compared to the hobbit-sized land. She waited as the door opened, and a rather surprised looking hobbit appeared.

"Saesa omentien lle, Mr. Baggins. Eradrin, at your service."

He looked her up and down, quickly tying his robe. Eradrin realized how strange she must look to him, in a green tunic, leggings, light brown boots and a darker green cape with weapons hidden or visible in numerous spots on her outfit.

"Bilbo Baggins, at yours?" He responded with a slight question to his voice. He shuffled back and opened the door wider. "Come in."

Eradrin ducked down under the doorway, hitting her head on a lamp as she stood back up. "I'm sorry for bothering you at this hour," she apologized, anxious to seem polite. "Mithrandir sent me."

His eyes showed no sense of understanding, and he directed her to the dining room. Eradrin sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear.

Bilbo's eyes grew wide. "You're an elf!"

Eradrin nodded. "Yes. Yes I am."

He cocked his head and muttered, "There is an elf in my kitchen."

She laughed. "I came from Imladris."

"Rivendell?"

"Correct."

Bilbo opened his mouth, about to ask another question, when there was a loud knock at the door.

**oOoOoOo**

"Dwalin, at your service."

"Uh... Bilbo Baggins... at yours..."

Eradrin winced as she heard the heavy footsteps on the floor of Bilbo's house.

"Do we know each other?" Bilbo sounded even more shocked than when Eradrin had appeared.

"No."

Eradrin peered out from behind the wall, less than pleased to meet this Dwalin.

"Which way, laddie? Is it down here?"

"Is what down where?"

"Supper! He said there'd be food."

"He... Who said?"

Eradrin braced herself as a short, heavyset dwarf with a tattooed head and bushy beard stomped into the dining room. He stared at her, contempt filling his gaze.

"So," he began, crossing his arms and rocking from foot to foot, "What do we have here?"

"You don't have to look like you want to kill me."

"An elf. He won't be happy."

"Mithrandir sent me," she offered the same explanation she gave to Bilbo.

"He did, did he? Well, I'd say Thorin will have some harsh words for him _and_ you."

"Then he'll say them when he gets here. For now, sit down, eat, and don't annoy me. If Bilbo allows you to, at least."

"Right." The dwarf muttered, then turned to Bilbo, acting like she wasn't there. "Food?"

**(A/N Stupid mistake of the chapter by Eradrin 3) Never tell a dwarf what to do.)**

**oOoOoOo**

Eradrin shuddered, pressing against the wall. Gandalf stood next to her, chuckling as an exasperated Bilbo tried offer a red-haired dwarf a cheese-knife. "Remind me why I agreed to come?"

"Because you wanted to."

"I know, but... _this?_" She gestured to the mess in front of her, gagging at the dwarves stuffing their faces full of food, wine and beer, letting crumbs and long streaks of liquid trail across their beards.

He nodded and offered her a chair.

"No thanks," Eradrin replied. She excused herself and approached Bilbo, Gandalf behind her.

"My dear Bilbo, what is the matter?"

Bilbo spun around. "What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?"

"Oh, they're quite a merry gathering, once you get used to them."

Eradrin glanced behind her shoulder, watching a tug-of-war game with sausage. "Sure," She muttered.

"I don't want to get used to them. The state of my kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!"

Gandalf opened his mouth to reply, but closed it as a dwarf walked up to Bilbo. "Excuse me," he started, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?"

"Here, Ori, give it to me!"

**oOoOoOo**

"Ooh, did you hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives!"

And thus started a song.

_Blunt the knives, bend the forks_

_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_

_Chip the glasses and crack the plates_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

Eradrin face-palmed and shut her eyes and plugged her ears, waiting for the song to be over.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. The room hushed instantly.

Gandalf shot Eradrin a glance. "He is here."

**oOoOoOo**

"Gandalf," a dark-haired dwarf entered the room. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."

"Mark? There is no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago."

"There is a mark; I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

**oOoOoOo**

Thorin glanced over the map, at the same time raking Eradrin with icy glares. She returned his gaze coldy.

Their meeting hadn't gone too well. As soon as he had met Bilbo, he turned and spotted Eradrin, and instantly turned on Gandalf. Mithrandir had to carefully explain that he had asked Eradrin to come. Thorin was still not ready to trust.

"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." Gandalf's voice snapped Eradrin out of her memory.

Bilbo leaned over Gandalf's shoulder. "The Lonely Mountain."

Gloin nodded. "Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it's time."

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end," Oin added.

Bilbo looked up. "Beast? What beast?"

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals-"

"-Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo interrupted.

Suddenly Ori stood up. "I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!" Several of the dwarves shouted, while Eradrin rolled her eyes disapprovingly.

Dori gave him an exasperated look and pulled him into his chair.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us." Balin muttered. "But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." This time Eradrin chuckled as the dwarves gasped, offended.

As the yells died off, Fili looked around with a serious expression. "We may be few in numbers, but we're fighters. All of us. To the last dwarf!"

His brother nodded. "And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!"

Gandalf looked very embarrassed as the dwarves bombarded him with questions. The noise grew, and Gandalf pretended to start coughing.

"_Shazara_!" Eradrin glanced at Thorin, who had stood up. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?!"

The dwarves began to cheer, Eradrin joining in after a bit of hesitation.

"But the Front Gate is sealed," Balin contradicted sadly. "There is no way into the mountain."

Mithrandir smirked. "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true."

The dwarves collectively gasped as he revealed a key.

Thorin stared at him. "How came you by this?!" He demanded.

Gandalf passed the key to Thorin. "Your father, Thrain, gave the key to me for safekeeping. Tis' your's now."

Fili glanced around the table. "If there is a key, there must be a door."

Gandalf nodded. "These runes point of a hidden passage to the lower halls." He gestured to the map.

"There's another way in!" Kili exclaimed.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar," Ori said.

Bilbo nodded. "A good one too. An expert, I'd imagine."

"And are you?"

Eradrin groaned and rolled her eyes at their misinterpretation. As they began to argue about whether he was good burglar material or not, Gandalf stood up, the room becoming dark. "Enough!" He commanded. "If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is!"

The darkness suddenly retracted, and he continued, "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this."

A few moments of silence passed, and everyone looked to Thorin.

"Very well," he agreed. "We will do it your way."

Bilbo looked shocked. "What? No, no, no..."

"Give him the contract."

"Please, no..."

Balin shuffled in a bag and pulled out a long paper. "It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo squeaked, then cleared his voice. He took the contract from Balin and began to read it aloud. "Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?!"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye."

"You all right, laddie?" Balin asked as Bilbo swayed on his feet.

"Feel... a bit faint..."

"Think furnace with wings," Bofur said matter-of-factly. "Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash!"

"You're not helping," Eradrin muttered.

Bilboo bent over, looking sick. "Hmm..." He stood up and glanced at the dwarves. "Nope." Suddenly he lurched and fell over, eyes shut.

Eradrin glared at Bofur and hurried over to Bilbo, Gandalf by her side. "Let's take the poor thing to his room," she murmured. She gently lifted him in the air, and by the directions of Gandalf, settled him in a chair by his bed.

"I'll talk to him when he wakes," Gandalf told her, just as Bilbo started stirring. "You go and socialize."

Eradrin grimaced and left the room. As she walked down the hall, she felt the room go cold. Icy claws raked her spine, and she knew who was there just before he spoke.

"Get over here, now."

_'Thorin.'_

Eradrin turned around with a sigh and jaunted over. "What do you-" her words ended with a gasp as he whipped out a knife and pushed her to the wall, holding the knife to her neck.

Eradrin lifted her chin, squirming against the cold metal.

"If you make one move wrong," Thorin growled, "I will kill you."

Eradrin felt chills travel up her spine. "Understand?"

She made no reply.

He pressed it harder against her flesh. "Do you _understand_?!"

Eradrin choked out, "Yes."

"Good." He moved away. Eradrin coughed and rubbed her throat, glaring at him. She stood up straighter and walked past, nonchalantly muttering, "_Kotyaer_ much?"

He marched off in the opposite direction, sitting next to Balin. Eradrin sat in an abandoned corner near the front of the house, but regretted it as the dwarves began to file in, staring at the flames flickering in the fire place.

They began to slowly hum a tune, Thorin starting to sing. Soon they joined in, expressions filled with sorrow and remorse.

_Far over the misty mountains cold_

_To dungeons deep and caverns old_

_We must away ere break of day_

_To find our long-forgotten gold_

_The pines were roaring on the height_

_The winds were moaning in the night_

_The fire was red, it flaming spread_

_The trees like torches blazed with light_

**(A/N Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I was waiting for BOTFA to come out. And it killed me. *cries*)**

**Disclaimer: Again, I do not own Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit.**


	5. Chapter 5: The Journey Begins

**(A/N Thank you for all the favs, follows, and reviews I received! The beginning of this next scene is when Bilbo joins. And by the way, Eradrin is 87 years old, about 17-18 as a human equivalent. I have also decided to name each chapter and put a random quote at the beginning of each chapter. If you go back to the previous chapters, you'll see that I have posted chapter names and quotes.)**

**(A/N Also, on the second chapter (after the prologue) I posted a character description of Eradrin.)**

**Chapter Five: The Journey Begins**

_"We can't be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don't have something better."_  
**-C. Joybell C.**

**POV: Eradrin**

**oOoOoOo**

"This is a waste of time," Gloin grunted. "No use waiting for him. We could have left an hour ago."

"Just wait," Eradrin cautioned. "He may come yet."

Thorin snorted. "I'd bet six coins that Bilbo won't make it."

"Seven," Gandalf said as he mounted his horse. "I bet seven that he's coming."

With that the dwarves began to wager whether or not the hobbit would come, each bet growing in numbers.

"He's coming. I'll bet ten _canath_ that he'll make it."

The dwarves looked at her strangely. _'No surprise there,'_ she thought, having hardly spoken to them since they had met.

"Well, of course _you_ would," Thorin grumbled.

Eradrin ignored him and turned to Gandalf.

"Let's get on the road, but travel slowly. He could come at any time."

Gandalf nodded and mounted his horse. "Get your ponies! We ride out."

Thorin shot Eradrin a smirk and disappeared into the place the ponies were stationed.

She sighed and mounted Tearcelen, stroking his mane. "I'm glad I brought you, boy."

**oOoOoOo**

No sooner had they ridden off when a voice echoed through the trees on the road. "Wait!"

Gandalf called a halt, and a figure broke out from the undergrowth on the side of the road. He stumbled from the weight of the pack he carried, but rightened himself up and continued to sprint along the road.

Eradrin smirked at Thorin, pleased with herself as he grunted ill-temperdly and pulled out a coin bag.

Bilbo gasped as he caught up with the group, chest heaving. "I... signed... it..." he wheezed. He handed it to Balin, looking quite proud.

Balin squinted as he read the paper. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin scowled. "Get him a pony."

Bilbo's eyes grew wide. "No, no, no, that won't be necessary, thank you, but I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once-" his words ended with a gasp as he was lifted onto a pony.

**oOoOoOo**

Eradrin found herself riding alongside Bilbo. He glanced at her and Gandalf on either side of him, confusion apparent on his face as the dwarves began tossing coin bags at each other.

"What's that about?"

"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up," Gandalf replied.

"Most of them bet you wouldn't," Eradrin added.

"What did you two think?"

Gandalf caught a sack in his hand. "My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second." He chuckled as he stowed it in his bag.

Bilbo glanced at Eradrin just as she caught a pouch in mid-air. She smiled at him and flipped open her saddlebag, delicately placing the coins inside.

Suddenly Bilbo sneezed. He glanced up apologetically as he began to search his pockets, muttering, "Ugh, all this horse hair. I think I'm having a reaction." Then he looked up, only one word to describe his expression: shock.

"_Wait_! Stop! We _have_ to turn around!"

Eradrin arched her eyebrow. "What on earth is the matter?"

He looked up at her, panic racing in his eyes. "I've forgotten my handkerchief!"

She stared at him, disbelief furrowing her eyebrows. Then she facepalmed and shook her head.

"Here, use this!" Bofur tore a piece of fabric from his clothing as threw it at him. Bilbo stared at it in disgust, muttering, "Really?"

Thorin rolled his eyes. "Move on."

"You'll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end," Gandalf told him. "You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead."

**oOoOoOo**

It was night. Most of the dwarves were fast asleep near the mountain's edge, but Fili and Kili were up, along with Gandalf, Bilbo and Eradrin.

Eradrin conversed with the brothers, finding them easier to talk to and more accepting than the other dwarves, except maybe Balin.

"So, why did you come?" Kili asked. Eradrin stiffened, before noticing the curiosity in his tone. She relaxed.

"Mithrandir asked me to come. I agreed to the offer instantly."

"I know, but why would you leave your home?"

Eradrin felt her face flush and angry tears threatened to spill out of her eyelids as she was reminded of the incident. She bit down onto her cheek and muttered through clenched teeth, "Family troubles."

"Oh." Kili looked rueful. "Sorry."

"It's nothing," she lied, and hurried to change the subject. "So how are you two enjoying this journey so far?"

Fili opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again as Bilbo scurried up to them, a nervous expression on his face.

"Did you hear that?"

They all kept quiet until the noise could be heard again: a scream.

Kili, Eradrin and Fili exchanged a glance. "Orcs."

Thorin jerked awake as he heard the accursed word, just as another screeched.

"Orcs?" Bilbo gasped. He moved closer to the group.

Fili nodded. "Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood," Kili added, causing Eradrin to roll her eyes at him.

Bilbo stared at the mountains across from them, where the source of the noise was echoing. Kili and Fili burst into laughter at Bilbo's horrified face.

"You think it's funny?!" Thorin snapped, unexpectedly angry.

Kili looked away, suddenly subdued. "We didn't mean anything by it."

"No you didn't. You know nothing of the world." He stomped off to a nearby ledge and stared into the darkness of the night.

"Don't mind him, laddie," Balin said, coming up behind him. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first." He paused, shuddering as a dark memory clouded his eyes.

"Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King." Balin swallowed. "Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us."

"That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc." Eradrin glanced at Thorin. "He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken."

"Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived."

"And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."

By now, all of the dwarves were awake, staring at Thorin with wonder. He turned around and walked back towards the fire, eyes narrowed with memory.

"And the pale orc?" Bilbo asked. "What happened to him?"

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came," Thorin spat, his tone full of poison. "The filth died of his wounds long ago." He glared angrily into the fire, snapping twigs in his fingers.

Somehow, Eradrin couldn't agree that the orc was gone forever.

**(A/N and there you have it. Expect the next chapter between today and Saturday. Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEARS!)**


	6. Chapter 6: Trolls

**(A/N Again, thank you so much! You guys are awesome! You get cookies :3)**

**(A/N I listened to the LOTR soundtrack while writing this xD)**

**(A/N Here we are, December Third of the Year Two-Thousand-Fifteen. A whole new adventure awaits us this year.)**

**(A/N I did not mean "us" as in gollum... I was referring to people... I should just shush, now, shouldn't I... we... heh...)**

**Chapter 6: Trolls**

_"Play to win, not 'not to lose'."_**  
****-Dondi Scumaci**

**POV: Eradrin**

**xXxXxXx**

Eradrin smirked as Thorin spat, a gust of rain lashing him in the face. A moment later, she was shaking her hands in disgust as water dumped on top of her.

Dori, who looked particularly sorry in the rain, called, "Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?"

"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done," Gandalf answered matter-of-factly. "If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard."

"Are there any?" Bilbo asked.

"What?"

"Other wizards?"

"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards; you know, I've quite forgotten their names." Gandalf frowned at that.

"And who is the fifth?"

"Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown."

"Is he a great Wizard or is he...more like you?"

Gandalf looked back at him, offended. "I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

Eradrin watched as Bilbo looked down, seeming puzzled.

**xXxXxXx**

The Company emerged in a clearing, just as the sun was going down, and took shelter at an abandoned farm that lay in ruins.

"We'll camp here for the night," Thorin ordered. "Fili, Kili, watch the ponies. Look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them."

"Got it."

"Oin, Gloin?"

"Aye?"

"Get a fire going."

"Right you are."

Eradrin listened to the commands of setting up camp, suddenly realizing that they were already becoming familiar. She joined Gandalf at the front of the ruins.

"A farmer and his family used to live here," he murmured. The worry in his gaze startled Eradrin, and she began to feel ill at ease.

He whipped around and leaned over to Thorin. "I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley."

Eradrin felt sick at the mention and backed away. "I couldn't agree more," she murmured when Thorin said, "I will not go near that place."

She turned on her heel and walked across the grass to a nearby tree, hoisting herself up into the higher branches and looked out across the camp just as Gandalf stormed away angrily from Thorin. He snapped at a very bewildered Bilbo and disappeared inside the forest.

**xXxXxXx**

"What are you doing?" Eradrin glanced down, startled, at the face of Thorin.

"Sitting in a tree."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

A look of mingled confusion, amuesment, and annoyance battled in his eyes.

She sighed. "Do you want to come up or not?"

He hesitated, then unsuccessfully tried to scramble up the tree.

"No, you have to-" Eradrin started as he failed for a second time, but stopped as he shot her a warning glare. She ignored him. "Put your foot there," Eradrin instructed briskly. "Your hand there. Then pull yourself up... that's it," she finished and he heaved himself up the trunk.

"I'll never understand elves," he muttered. Eradrin expected a remark of hostility, until she saw the gleam of humor in his eyes.

"And I'll never understand your sudden mood swings," she retorted. "Five seconds ago you were glaring at me, and now you're joking about things."

He didn't reply. "So why did you climb up here?"

Eradrin let out a gusty sigh. "To escape."

He turned to her, confusion apparent in his onyx eyes. "Escape what?"

She shifted to face the sun as it sunk behind the peak of a mountain. "Everything."

He snorted. "That's very descriptive. I would expect less of an elf."

"Thanks." Eradrin mumbled, sliding further up the tree. "Hey, uh, Thorin?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you hate elves so much?"

He had an answer prepared immediately. "They're heartless. They turned their backs when we came for help."

She pursed her lips. "Oh, great. My people and I are thought of as heartless. Lovely."

"Well, they are."

She glared at him. "And just when I thought he was starting to get used to me, he tells me I have no heart."

"Listen, I didn't mean it like that-" he started.

"No, I think you did," Eradrin snapped. She skidded part of the way down the tree and took a flying leap out, landing flawlessly on her feet. "Just shut up."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

Eradrin stormed away, eyes like chips of ice, leaving Thorin to stare angrily at the sky.

**xXxXxXx**

"Wup, here you are, look out for that..." Bofur rambled, handing bowls of soup to the dwarves.

Bilbo glaced at the moon hanging in the sky. "He's been a long time."

"Who?"

"Gandalf."

"He's a wizard. He does as he chooses," Bofur shrugged. "Here, do us a favor; take this to the lads." He passed Bilbo two bowls of soup.

Bilbo worriedly stumbled away into the darkness.

Bofur smacked Bombur 's hand as he reached for a third bowl of soup. "Stop it, you've had plenty." The dwarves roared with laughter at his crestfallen expression.

Eradrin sighed and returned to sharpening her sword. After a while, she set it down next to the rest of her weapons just as someone reached down and grasped a knife from the collection. She looked up, frowning.

"Why so serious, Elfie?" Bofur teased.

Eradrin's lips curved into an embarrassed smile as her face flushed. She had been given the nickname earlier that day, when Gloin had tripped over her foot and shouted, "Watch it, elf- _eeee_!" and fallen. Afterwards, the dwarves had taken to calling her 'Elfie.' She was sure it would blow off in a couple of hours, but they kept it up.

"Oh, you know me, always-" she started, but closed her mouth as Fili and Kili hurtled into sight.

"Come quick!" Fili gasped.

"What happened?" Eradrin was on her feet in an instant.

"They've taken Bilbo."

"Might I ask whom?"

Kili's eyes were glittering with excitement rather than fear as he answered.

"Cave trolls."

**xXxXxXx**

Eradrin admired the moonlight reflecting on her perfectly polished sword, averting her gaze to the firelight that they were following the trolls. Voices began to come in hearing range.

"Nope."

"He's lying!"

She slid into the bushes, peering through the leaves along with the rest of the dwarves at the huge trolls holding Bilbo over roaring flames.

"No I'm not!" He retorted.

Fili snapped a twig. "_Shh_!"

"Hold his toes over the fire!" suggested a troll. "Make him squeal."

"Kili, you heard him," Eradrin whispered. "Make him squeal."

The dwarf nodded and brandished his sword. He hurtled out of the bushes and cut the troll's leg open. The troll bellowed with agony and stumbled to the ground.

"Drop him!" Kili ordered, clutching his sword defensively.

"You what?"

"I said," Kili spat, "Drop him!"

The trolls exchanged a glance, then tossed Bilbo at him. They both toppled to the ground.

The Company exploded out from the trees. Eradrin ducked under a troll's legs and sliced with her sword, piercing the skin at the back of his knee, and danced out of the way just before he crashed to the ground. Leaping behind him, she kicked his wound and jumped over his hand as he swiped at her. Another troll tried to dive at her, but she slid underneath him and split open his calf. Springing to her feet, she dashed out of range and whipped out her bow, her arrow notching in his shoulder.

He ripped it out and tried to grab her again, but she ducked out of the way. Suddenly, something hit her from behind, knocking her off her feet. She looked up to see Thorin sprawled on the ground in front of her, lashing out at another troll.

Without warning, hands swept down upon her and grasped each limb, lifting her high into the air.

Eradrin found herself next to Bilbo, facing the cornered dwarves. She tried to escape the clutches on the trolls, digging her fingernails into their fists.

"Lay down your arms," one growled. "Or we'll rip their's off."

**(A/N Expect the next chapter later today. I also changed my mind- Tauriel is going to be in this story.)**


	7. Chapter 7: The Dawn Will Take You All

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, or the famous mango smoothie. :,( I do own the OCs and story/plot. :D**

**Chapter 7: The Dawn Will Take You All**

_When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn._  
**-Harriet Beecher Stowe**

**POV: Eradrin**

**xXxXxXx**

Eradrin stared at them pleadingly. As they hesitated, the troll that was holding her twisted her arm behind her back. She shrieked furiously as agony pulled at her arm, pain wrenching her muscles.

Finally Thorin dropped his weapons, each dwarf following in turn. It was no surprise that Thorin wasn't happy; his face a mask of fury.

**xXxXxXx**

"This would have never happened if you hadn't been captured," Thorin hissed in her ear.

"If you hadn't knocked me over, I wouldn't have been captured!" she retorted. Half of the dwarves were currently tied up in sacks. The rest were being 'roasted over the fire,' as Bert said.

"If you hadn't gotten in my way, I wouldn't have knocked you over!"

"Well, if you chose to stop being stubborn and go around me, I wouldn't have been in your way!"

"If you-"

"Oh, do shut up!" Kili snapped, exasperated.

"You're arguing more than a pair of jackdaws," Balin added. "This isn't going to help."

They fell silent, nerves battling as the trolls squabbled on how to eat them. "Don't bother cooking them," William suggested. "Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly!"

Bert shook his head. "They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage."

"Is this really nesescary?!" Dori shouted as William mused in his nasally voice, "Ooh, that does sound quite nice."

Eradrin closed her eyes, moving her good arm in the bag so she could massage her sore shoulder. '_It's probably just wrenched,' _she thought, grimacing, as the dwarves shouted insults at the trolls.

"Untie us, you monsters!"

"Take on someone your own size!"

"Never mind the seasoning," Tom grumbled. "We ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone."

Something clicked in her mind. She snapped her eyes open and glanced around. Judging by Bilbo's expression, she saw he had the same idea too.

"Wait! You're making a _terrible_ mistake!" Bilbo gasped, somehow managing to scramble to his feet inside the bag.

"You can't reason with them; they're half-wits!" Dori called from the spit.

"Half-wits? What does that make us?"

Bilbo hopped over to face the trolls. "I mean with the, uh, with the seasoning."

Bert leaned over Bilbo. "What about the seasoning?"

Bilbo hopped closer. "Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up."

Several of the dwarves began to shout furiously at Bilbo.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" Tom grunted.

Bert glared at him. "Shut up and the... uh... flurgaburrahobbit talk."

Eradrin could see Bilbo fumbling with his words.

"Um... the secret to cooking dwarf is..."

"Yes? Come on!"

"It's... uh..."

"Tell us the secret!"

"Yes, I'm telling you! The secret is to... skin them first!" He finished with a proud expression until he realized what he had said.

"Tom, get me my filleting knife," Bert ordered, not taking his eyes off of the dwarves.

"Traitor!" Kili shouted. Eradrin gagged.

"What a load of rubbish!" Tom complained. "I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all."

Eradrin's eyes snapped toward the bushes as she spotted movement.

"`e's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf!" William snatched up Bombur from the pile of dwarves, about to drop him into his mouth. "Nice and crunchy!"

"No, no, not that one!" Bilbo warned hastily. "He's infected!"

William stopped.

"He's got worms... in his tubes..."

The troll bore a look of disgust as he flung Bombur back onto the pile of dwarves.

"In-in fact they all have... they're infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."

"Parasites?" Orin asked. "Did he say... _parasites_?"

Kili's eyes narrowed in rage. "We don't have parasites! You have parasites!"

"Shut up!" Eradrin hissed. They ignored her and shouted about how they didn't have parasites and Bilbo was a traitor. Bilbo shot them an exasperated glance.

Suddenly Thorin kicked the dwarves, getting them to all shut up and stare at him imploringly. "Finally, someone gets it." Eradrin muttered. Then they all caught on.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm," Oin said awkwardly.

"I've got the biggest parasites: mine are huge parasites!"

"We're riddled!"

"Yes we are, badly!"

Tom glared down at Bilbo. "What would you us do, then? Let em' all go?"

"Well..."

Tom nudged him away. "You think I don't know what you're up to?" He growled. "This little ferret is taking us for fools!"

"Ferret?"

"Fools?"

"The dawn will take you all!"

Everyone looked up to see a gray-bearded figure standing on a boulder, sunlight just beginning to peek from behind the rock.

"Gandalf," several of the dwarves whispered in relief.

Bert glanced up. "Who's that?"

"No idea," Tom replied.

"Can we eat him too?" William asked hopefully.

Gandalf stepped aside, striking the rock with his staff at the same time. The dwarves watched with amazement as sunlight flooded the clearing. As soon as it touched the bewildered trolls, they began to turn to stone, screaming and writhing in agony as their bodies hardened. Within seconds, they were completely still.

**xXxXxXx**

"Bilbo."

Eradrin watched as Gandalf held out a small sword from the troll's cave.

"This is about your size."

Bilbo stared at it. "I can't take this."

"The blade is of Elvish which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby."

"I've never used a sword in my life!" Bilbo protested.

"And I hope you never have to." Gandalf replied. "But if you do, remember this: true courage is not knowing when to take a life, but to spare one."

"Something's coming!" Thorin warned.

Back to his serious mode, Gandalf drew his sword. "Stay together! Hurry now, arm yourselves."

Eradrin grasped for her bow, notching an arrow onto it before she nudged a bewildered Bilbo. "Let's go." The rest of the dwarves had already disappeared into the undergrowth.

They dashed after them, arriving in time to see a strange, brown-bearded man on a rabbit-sled pull up beside the Company, shouting, "Thieves! Fire! Murder!"

Eradrin and the dwarves backed away as Gandalf strode up to him. "Radagast! What on earth are you doing here?"

"That's Radagast?" Bilbo asked in a disbelieving voice.

"Looking for you, Gandalf," Radagast shuddered. "Something's wrong. Something is terribly wrong."

"Yes?"

Radagast opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again abruptly, looking confused. "Oh, just give me a minute. Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there, on the tip of my tongue." Then he opened his mouth, surprise lifting the corners of his mouth. "Oh! It's not a thought at all! It's a silly old stick insect!" Gandalf pulled off the insect from his tongue, looking disgusted as the rest of the Company took a step back.

**xXxXxXx**

Eradrin glanced up as something howled in the distance. "Was that a wolf?" Bilbo asked. "Are there wolves out here?"

Bofur stood up, concern etching his face. "No, that is not a wolf."

Suddenly a lump of snarling fur leaped into the middle of the Company. "Warg-scouts!" Eradrin shouted, jumping aside as Thorin stabbed it with his blade. Another appeared on the far side of the clearing. Eradrin and Kili both shot it at the same time, bringing it to its paws while Dwalin killed it.

"An orc pack is not far behind," Thorin growled.

"Orc pack?"

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your own kin?" Gandalf blasted.

"No one."

"Who did you tell?!"

"No one, I swear! What in Durin's name is going on?!"

Gandalf looked around the company, all the panic in his voice seeping into one phrase.

"You are being hunted."

**(A/N So, sorry if this last part seemed a little rushed. I wanted to finish the chapter, but I'm really tired (had some late nights) so I tried to finish it quickly, and my brain doesn't work properly when I'm tired (it does that to everyone) and I'm going to stop rambling now and just post this.)**

**(A/N Expect the next chapter between tomorrow and Wednesday. School's starting back up on Monday, so hopefully I won't have any homework. Yippe. See you all soon, and I hope you've had a great break. :) )**


	8. Chapter 8: Running and Returning

**(A/N So, I updated today. Yup. Thank you for the reviews! And we're almost to ten chapters! XD)**

**Chapter 8: Running and Returning**

_"To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength._"  
**―Criss Jami**

**Pov: Eradrin**

**. .. ... ... ... .. .**

Eradrin shuddered. "We have to get out of here."

"We can't!" Ori stuttered. "The ponies... they... they've vanished!"

"I'll draw them off." The Company turned to face Radagast.

"These are _Gundabad_ Wargs!" Gandalf protested. "They'll outrun you."

"These are _Rhosgobel_ Rabbits," he countered. "_I'd like to see them try_."

**. .. ... ... ... .. .**

"Get back!" Eradrin snapped, shoving Thorin into the cluster of dwarves as Gandalf and she peered around a boulder.

He tried to push past them and catch a glimpse of the plain, but she blocked him. "_Ai valar_, you halfwit," she grumbled. "You'll get us all caught."

He opened his mouth to object, quickly cut off by Gandalf. "Come on!"

"We'll talk later," he grunted, stepping around her to follow the wizard.

She pursed her lips and rushed after them, sharp silver-blue eyes tracking the Warg's every movements across the grass. "They're getting closer," she warned, coming to a halt behind another boulder to avoid being seen.

Eradrin felt Ori start to shake beside her. "No... can't..."

She frowned and turned to him. "Are you okay?"

"I can't take it!" He muttered, trying to run out of cover.

"Ori, no!" Thorin and Eradrin shouted simultaneously, casting each other surprised glances as they reached for the frightened Dwarf.

Seconds later, Gandalf commanded them to move on. As the Elf scooted around half of the Dwarves, she heard Thorin ask, "Where are you leading us?!"

The gray-bearded Wizard gave no reply. They continued to run, wary of the Wargs on their trail.

Suddenly, a Warg stopped in the distance, the Orc on its back shouting something at it. It slowly turned around, and began to bound in the direction of the Company.

**. .. ... ... ... .. .**

Eradrin's eyes narrowed to slits as she pressed her back against the rock, drawing her knife from her belt. She shuddered as she imagined the Warg's hot breath down her neck, spear-like teeth and claws puncturing her skin. It almost seemed real, with the Orc's raspy voice whispering commands to the Warg.

Thorin nodded at Kili, who notched an arrow to his bow and began to creep out from behind the rock. "No!" Eradrin hissed, trying to pull him back. He ignored her and dashed into view, shooting the Warg in the shoulder.

It snarled and leaped down on him, the Orc sliding off its back. With one swift movement, Eradrin sprung towards the Orc and plunged her dagger through its back and let it fall to the ground, dead. She spun around in time to see Dwalin finish off the Warg, but not before it heaved a guttural cry that echoed across the valley.

The Company froze. Everything fell completely silent as they listened with horror to the fast-approaching thuds of heavy paws on the ground and snickers of Orcs.

**. .. ... ... ... .. .**

**POV: Bilbo**

**. .. ... ... ... .. .**

Bilbo whipped around as Eradrin stomped up to Thorin, fire blazing in her eyes. "You idiot!" She spat, fist coming dangerously close to his face. Fili and Kili pulled her back.

"Woah, calm down, Elfie," Kili started. "There's no harm done."

"_No harm done?!_" She turned on him, seeming even more angry than before. "We have an Orc pack about to _kill_ us all, and you tell me there's no harm done?!" She shouted something at him in Elvish, only to be interrupted by Gandalf.

"We have no time for this! Run!"

Bilbo pounded after the dwarves, nothing but fear driving him on through the grass.

Suddenly the Company halted, causing Bilbo to crash into the Elf.

"Wha-" He panted.

Eradrin glanced down at him. "We're surrounded!" She whispered, anxiety sharpening her voice.

He froze, watching the first Warg appear over a rise in the ground.

"Kili and the Elf!" Thorin commanded. "Shoot them!"

"You could use my real name," Eradrin shouted back as she pulled out her bow and began shooting any Orc or Warg that came close. "Even Elfie would be fine."

"Now is not the time!" He retorted, gathering the rest of the Company around him. Bilbo backed away, wishing he was back at Bag End.

Suddenly a thought occurred to him as he glanced at the members of the Company, seemingly at the same time as Eradrin as she gasped, "Where is Gandalf?"

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin growled.

Panic began to set in as the Wargs closed in. Even the arrows shot by Eradrin and Kili seemed to make no difference; more kept coming.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin ordered, drawing his sword.

Bilbo stayed beside the Elf, feeling much safer than out in the open.

In the next moment, he whirled around as a voice called, "This way, you fools!"

Gandalf was standing beside a huge rock, waving them over with his staff. Instantly he sprinted away and caught sight of a steeply sloping downwards tunnel behind the rock, jumping down without hesitation behind a few of the dwarves.

The light vanished as he slid down into a cave, and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dark.

Gandalf's voice sounded loudly in his ear. "Blast that Dwarf and Elf! They're still up there!"

Indeed, Bilbo could hear sounds of arguing from the mouth of the cave. "Do they ever stop?" He wondered aloud. Creeping forward, he watched Eradrin and Thorin fighting about who would go down the cave first.

"Just go already! I'm the better archer, let me shoot any Orcs nearby while you go down!"

"That doesn't matter!" Thorin snapped. "We don't have time for this!"

As Eradrin opened her mouth to respond, he knocked her onto her back and rolled her down into the cave, stabbing a Warg at the same time.

Bilbo backed away as Eradrin rocketed up, glancing behind her at Thorin with annoyed eyes. "I'll kill him," she muttered, backing away as he tumbled down into the cave.

Suddenly, horns sounded in the distance. Every member of the Company's heads shot up. Sounds of snarling and dying orcs came from the entrance, and the Dwarves withdrew in disgust as the body of one flopped onto the floor.

Hesitantly Thorin approached it, drawing out the silver arrow embedded in its neck.

"Elves!" He spat, tossing the arrow aside.

Bilbo looked at Eradrin, expecting her to be relieved, but was mistaken as her eyes widened and she choked out, "_What?!_"

Thorin stared at her with surprise as she glanced around the cave, recognition dawning in her eyes.

"G-Gandalf?"

"I cannot see where the pathway leads," Dwalin interrupted the her, gesturing to a gap in the cave at the back. "Do we follow or no?"

"Follow it, of course!" Bofur told him, rushing down the pathway with many of the Dwarves just behind him.

Bilbo started to follow him, turning to the Elf on his way. "Eradrin?" He asked. "Are you coming?"

She shook herself, as if coming out of a trance, and stuttered, "Y-yes."

Bilbo shrugged and continued to follow the Dwarves.

**. .. ... ... ... .. .**

They had been walking for a few minutes, finding the pathway growing narrower, Despite the discomfort of squeezing between rocks, Bilbo began to get a very queer feeling.

"Gandalf, where are we?"

"Oh, you can feel it?" The Wizard replied, looking up swiftly at light streaming down from a crack in the roof.

"It feels like... well, like magic."

"That's exactly what it is," Gandalf confirmed. "A very powerful magic."

Bilbo frowned, continuing to trudge through the shadows of the cave until a blinding light swept across his vision. He glanced up, gasping at the view opening up in front of him.

Light gray cliffs loomed across a valley, rich green trees and plants growing everywhere. Waterfalls cascaded down into a river at the bottom, sunlight highlighting a mystical-looking city in the center of it all.

"The Valley of Imladris," Gandalf explained. "In the Common Tongue, it is known by another name."

"Rivendell," Bilbo murmured, caught by its beauty.

"Here lies the last Homely House of the east sea."

Thorin turned on Gandalf. "This was your plan all along," He snarled. "to seek refuge with our enemy!"

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield," He told him. "The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

Thorin shook his head. "You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us."

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me."

"I can't help but agree with Thorin, for once," a nervous voice added into the conversation. The Dwarves stared in shock at Eradrin. "C-can't we just skirt around the outside?"

Thorin gestured towards her with a hand. "Even _she's_ on my side."

"Enough!" Gandalf ordered. "We're going down; that's final!"

**. .. ... ... ... .. .**

Bilbo stood in the front of the Company, almost chuckling as they bunched into a defensive circle. Gandalf strode up to meet a dark-haired elf, bits of their conversation catching in the Hobbit's ears.

"My lord Elrond is not here."

"Not here? Where is he?"

Suddenly, the same horn they had heard in the cave sounded again. Bilbo turned around and was thrust into the center of the dwarves as a group of elves on horseback thundered close to the Company.

"Oh no," Eradrin muttered. Bilbo watched as she shrunk down below the dwarves, becoming almost invisible.

"Are you alright?" He asked, only able to see a wisp of her hair.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she replied slowly. "Can you see me?"

"No, not really."

"Great! Got to go."

Bilbo raised his eyebrow, but tripped when the Dwarves bunched tighter together, weapons pointed out defensively as the elves rode in circles around them.

One Elf separated himself from the rest, coming to a halt in front of the Wizard.

"Gandalf," He greeted.

Gandalf bowed to the Elf, beginning to speak. "Lord Elrond! _Mellonnen! Mo evinedh_?"

Elrond answered in Elvish, and Bilbo guessed what he had said as he changed to the Common Language. "Strange for Orcs to roam so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near."

"Ah, that may have been us," Gandalf responded. He gestured to the Dwarves; Thorin stepped out and stared at the Elf.

Elrond's eyes flashed with recognition. "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."

"I do not believe we have met," Thorin muttered.

"You have your grandfather's bearing," Elrond answered. "I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain."

Thorin smirked. "Indeed, he made no mention of _you_."

The Elf lifted his chin, saying something in Elvish to the Company.

"What is he saying?" Gloin grunted. "Does he offer us insults?!"

Gandalf rolled his eyes as the dwarves grew aggressive. "No, Master Gloin. He's offered you food."

The Dwarf turned to the others, Bilbo coughing meaningfully and glancing at Elrond.

"Ah, well, in that case, lead on!"

Elrond began to turn away, only to halt and spin back around, eyes bulging as Eradrin rose up from behind the dwarves.

Her silver-blue eyes looked at him challengingly, honey-blonde hair whipping with the wind as she addressed him cooly, "_Elrond_."

**. .. ... ... ... .. .**

**(A/N Drama! I'm hoping to get the next chapter out sometime tomorrow. See y'all soon!)**


	9. Chapter 9: Betrayal

**(A/N Thanks for the reviews again :) )**

**Chapter 9: Betrayal**

_"Bitterness imprisons life; love releases it."_

**-Harry Emerson Fosdick**

**POV: Eradrin**

**xXxXxXx**

It took all the effort in the world not to lash out at Elrond. Every muscle in her body tensed, she let all the bitterness seep into one phrase, "Notice I'd left, _utinu en lokirim_?"

Elrond's expression hardened. "Lindir, show the Dwarves the their quarters," he commanded, not taking his eyes off of Eradrin.

"Yes, Lord Elrond," he replied nervously. She could feel the stares of the Dwarves boring curiously into her back.

As soon as the Dwarves had left, Elrond approached her slowly, voice shaking as he muttered, "_This_ is where you went, without permission?"

"I do not recall having to ask you in the first place," she replied evenly.

He shook his head slowly. "You've had this whole place in an uproar. Did you not _think_ your decision would affect others?"

Eradrin started, pursing her lips as shame flashed through her. "No, but-"

"You've been gone for more than a week! We thought that something had captured you, or worse! Alluean, Arwen and the twins were beside themselves with worry, and don't get me started on Aralin's reaction."

"Well, you'd wonder why I'd left!" She retorted. "You're not my father; stop acting like it!"

Elrond flinched. Eradrin felt a small prick of guilt in her heart, but it vanished as soon as he continued.

"Why don't we sit down and talk about this, _lellig-"_

"_Never_ call me that," She hissed. "You lost that right long ago." She whipped around and began stalk up the stairs into the middle of Imladris, ignoring Elrond's plea for her to come back.

**xXxXxXx**

Eradrin fought the urge to snap at all the Elves that gawked at her. Clearly they had all known she went "missing". '_Then again, Elrond did say this place was in an uproar,_' she reflected briefly.

The Elf sighed and made her way down a hall, stopping beside the last room on the left. "Hopefully it's unlocked," she murmured, remembering the time with a wince when she had locked herself out of her own room.

Carefully, she wrapped her fingers around the doorknob and twisted, relief swamping her as it opened.

Everything was exactly as she had left it; the covers of her bed slightly wrinkled in the corner she had sat on while pulling on her boots, drapes thrust open wide to let the sunlight in, the edge of a paper barely visible beneath her pillow. She sighed and set down her bow and leather bag on the bed. Walking past the wall, she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror and snorted.

"No wonder they gaped at me," she muttered aloud, examining the mud splattered on the sleeve of her right elbow and above her left eye.

Eradrin quickly set down the rest of her weapons and hurried into her bathroom, closing the doors and filling up her bathtub. She hastily undressed and wiped her body clean, relaxing as the grime disappeared from her skin.

After she dried herself completely off, Eradrin opened her wardrobe- judging by the sun through the window, it was almost supper time- and pulled out the first dress that touched her fingers.

It was long and elegant: a rich midnight blue color, with sleeves that ended at her elbows and draped down. She slid into it brushed out her hair, and hopped into her slippers just as the handle on her door clicked.

Eradrin spun around, raising her eyebrow at three faces peeking out from behind the door.

"Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen. I should have known."

The twins chuckled nervously and stepped through the doorway, their sister following hesitantly.

The four stood together and lapsed into silence. Eradrin could tell by the guarded expressions of her "siblings" that they expected her to say some hostile remark about Elrond's betrayal.

Instead, she whispered, "You knew."

Elladan's gaze fell on his feet as he answered, "Yes."

She shook her head and pushed past them, hurt beyond measure.

"Wait, Eradrin," Arwen called. She stopped without turning around.

"Forgive us, please?" Elrohir asked shakily.

Eradrin bit her lip. "I don't know."

**xXxXxXx**

Eradrin walked into the dining area, finding the Dwarves already eating. Well, they were more or less complaining about the things that were prepared for them.

"I don't like green food," Ori muttered.

"Try it; just a mouthful," she coaxed from behind him. The Dwarf spun around, surprise lighting his gaze.

"Hey, look, Elfie's back!" Bofur exclaimed. He looked her up and down. "At least, I think it's her."

She chuckled. "Of course it's me; I'm just in something nice for once."

Thorin looked up from where he was sitting, eyes widening at the sight of her. "Wow. You look... different..." he breathed.

"Did you hear that, boys?" She addressed the other Dwarves. "That was almost a compliment!"

The Dwarves roared with laughter, Kili slapping a very confused Thorin on the back.

**xXxXxXx**

Eradrin sat next to Alluean as her friend played the harp. She glowered at Elrond as he and Gandalf approached the dining area.

Alluean sighed. "Glaring at him won't help either of you."

Eradrin pursed her lips. "Could we talk about something else, please?"

"Fine," She answered. "How did you get along with the Dwarves?"

Eradrin watched as Dwalin disgustedly shifted through a pile of greens. His voice wafted over to her. "Where's the meat?!"

"They complain often," Oin stabbed a vegetable with a knife, "have no table manners," Oin stuffed his trumpet with a napkin as an elf played a flute near him, "and have a strange taste in music."

Alluean wrinkled her nose. "They sound _lovely_," she murmured sarcastically.

"But they're loyal to the end," she finished.

"Hmm..." Alluean replied, staring at Kili, who winked at her. "I'll never understand Dwarves."

Suddenly the Dwarves burst out in a fit of laughter, some slapping Kili on the back as he paled.

Eradrin and Alluean exchanged an amused glance, and continued to play on the harp until Nori turned around to face them.

"Change the tune, will you?" He complained. "I feel like I'm at a funeral!"

Eradrin rolled her eyes as Oin muttered, "Did someone die?!"

"No, you just don't have any taste in music," she teased. Oin grunted.

"Alright, lads!" Bofur stood up and jumped onto a nearby plinth. "There's only one things for it!" He turned to Eradrin, holding up a bread roll. "Elfie, catch!"

Eradrin cocked her head as Alluean ducked. The roll sailed through the air and hit her in between the eyes; she started and watched it fall to the ground.

Bofur began to sing, the dwarves beginning a food fight.

_There is an inn, a merry old inn  
beneath an old grey hill,  
And there they brew a beer so brown  
That the Man in the Moon himself came down  
one night to drink his fill._

_The ostler has a tipsy cat  
that plays a five-stringed fiddle;  
And up and down he saws his bow  
Now squeaking high, now purring low,  
now sawing in the middle._

_So the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,  
a jig that would wake the dead:  
He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,  
While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:  
'It's after three!' he said._

The Dwarves laughed again, food coming close to hitting Lindir in the face.

Alluean nudged Eradrin. "Come on, show them how it's really done."

"What?"

"Singing. Get up and sing something."

Eradrin paled. "_Al_, you know I don't sing..."

"Oh, come on. You have a great voice."

Eradrin coughed meaningfully. "_No_. _I_. _Don't_."

"Yes you do."

"Well, I don't want to," she muttered. Alluean shrugged and rose to her feet.

"I'll be right back."

Eradrin sighed and looked down, only to glance behind her as a deep voice rumbled, "So, what's this with you and Elrond?"

"Oh, it's you," she answered, rolling her eyes at Thorin. "Can't I go anywhere without someone asking me that?"

He shrugged and sat down beside her. "If you're still going to travel with the Company, I'd like to know if I can trust you or not."

"What do you mean by _if I'm still going travel with the Company_?" She said incredulously. "Of course I'm coming. I wouldn't stay here."

"Then tell me why you're so angry at him."

Eradrin turned to face him. "Why should I?"

Thorin sighed noisily. "This conversation is going in circles."

"Indeed."

The Dwarf stood up. "See you later. Hopefully you'll be able to tell me by then."

"Great."

"Fine."

He turned around to walk out, but stopped as she called, "You left your sword."

He flushed and took it from her as she handed it to him, grunting, "Thanks."

As he walked away, Eradrin couldn't help but grin, amused.

**(A/N Ever NOT been able to figure out how to end a chapter? Yup, that was me. Spending about ten minutes trying to figure out how to end it. XD)**


	10. Chapter 10: The Love of a Father

**(A/N I just really, really, _really_ want to thank you all so much. I was so pleased when I saw this story has 41 reviews, 39 favs and _60_ follows. You guys just made my day :3)**

**(A/N We made it to Ten Chapters! And btw, I watched BOTFA again and I felt like crying. I also have more ideas for this story! YAYYY!)**

**Chapter 10: Love of a Father**

_"I love her as though she were created of you and me."  
_**-Lord Mansfield, Belle**

**POV: Bilbo**

**xXxXxXx**

Bilbo sighed and folded his arms, tapping his foot impatiently. Thorin was refusing to let Elrond see the map.

"Our business is no concern of Elves," he rumbled, giving Lord Elrond a glare. Bilbo started to tune out as Gandalf began arguing with Thorin, looking around the building. Night had fallen earlier, and now moonlight filtered through the openings of Elrond's house.

Movement in the hall caught his eye. The Hobbit turned around and spotted Eradrin appearing out of the entrance to a hall. As she came closer, she paused and squinted her eyes at the group, then began to march over.

Suddenly Gandalf's voice cut into his mind. "Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond!"

As Thorin hesitated, a new voice joined in the conversation. "Oh, _come on_, Thorin!" Bilbo coughed as the entire group started; clearly they hadn't seen her coming. "Just show him the map already!"

Thorin gave her a bewildered glance. "I thought you hated Elrond," he whispered. Bilbo was just able to pick it up.

"I'm not doing it for him, idiot," she muttered back, "It's for the Company. Now _go on_!"

The Dwarf raised one eyebrow, but walked towards Elrond. "Thorin, no!" Balin protested, but Thorin shrugged him off and passed the map to the Elf.

Elrond glanced over it, then asked slowly, "Erebor. What is your interest in this map?"

"Mainly academic," Gandalf responded immediately. " As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text. You still read Ancient Dwarvish, do you not?"

He backed away for a moment, then inclined his head as moonlight hit the paper. "_Cirith Ithil_."

"Moon runes!" Eradrin exclaimed. Bilbo flashed a look at her, surprised to see her eyes narrowed to two tiny silver-blue crescent moons fixed intently upon the map.

"Of course, an easy thing to miss," The Wizard chuckled.

"Well in this case, that is true; moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written."

"And can you read them?" Thorin demanded.

He seemed to be thinking, then with a decisive nod of his head, lead them out onto a stone-carven balcony on the side of a cliff. Waterfalls roared in every direction, and would have reflected moonlight if not for the clouds across the moon.

Elrond walked toward a crystalline table, spreading the map out. "These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight."

Bilbo glanced up at the moon, watching the last of the clouds drift away. As moonlight hit the table, light flowed through the map. Shining, blue runes appeared on the paper.

"Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks," Elrond began, "and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole."

Eradrin shrugged. "Simple enough."

"Durin's Day?" Bilbo asked, self-conscious; apparently he was the only one in the group who didn't know what it was.

"It is the start of the dwarves' new year, when the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together," Eradrin answered.

"This is ill news," Thorin's eyebrows were furrowed. "Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us."

"We still have time," Balin contradicted.

"Time? For what?"

"To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened."

Eradrin face-palmed. "Why do secret doors have to be _so_ complicated?"

Elrond glanced around the group. "So this is your purpose; to enter the mountain?"

"What of it?" Thorin snapped.

The Elf Lord passed him the map, which Thorin snatched gruffly. "There are some who would not deem it wise."

"What do you mean?" Gandalf frowned.

"You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-Earth."

As Elrond began to walk away, he passed Eradrin. She sharply turned her back, arms folded, as he glanced away, gaze full of hurt.

**xXxXxXx**

**Elrond's POV**

**xXxXxXx**

Elrond narrowed his eyes at Thorin, who was exchanging a few words with Eradrin. He leaned over to Gandalf.

"Mithrandir, why would you ask her to join this... this _group of dwarves_ on their quest?!"

The Wizard simply shrugged. "I just gave her a suggestion."

Elrond breathed out slowly. "What if that _suggestion_ had claimed her life?!"

"She is stronger than she looks," Gandalf reasoned. "A formidable fighter, and a loyal companion in any situation. I highly doubt that she'll come close to dying."

"Gandalf, this is their quest and theirs alone. If she doesn't return, I will hold you fully responsible."

"Ah, so you're letting her leave now," he chuckled. Elrond felt his face heat up.

"This is serious. I worry for her."

Gandalf ran his fingers through his beard, eyes fixed intently upon Eradrin. "You love her, then."

Elrond was startled. He cocked his head, thinking through that phrase before answering. "Yes. I love her as if she was my own daughter."

"Good," Gandalf's mood suddenly changed, swiveling his head around to stare at Elrond. "She may want to hear that."

**(A/N Guys, I honestly feel really sad for Elrond; what he has to deal with sometimes XD)**

**(A/N Also, sorry this update took soooo long to come out. I've been pretty busy. But hey, I'm going to update THIS WEEKEND! By the way, I was listening to the Desolation of Smaug Soundtrack while writing this. Right now, the dwarves are making their little "plan," to defeat Smaug. I love picking out scenes in music XD)**


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